Away at BRIGHTON
The lineup was the best that Ole could have chosen. Greenwood, Matic and Wan-Bissaka starting for the REDs. The season hasn't stated the way we wanted, not sure how the players, coach and staff are feeling but the fans aren't too confident. One good signing and that is all we have to be content with and hoping there will be at least two more.
First 45
We saw it the last game and this one was not different, we did start on the back foot. The seagulls were pressing us high. I felt a defending in and around the penalty box was poor from ManUtd, we somehow seem to miss the man to be marked and the seagulls capitalised on it with few hitting the post and then a penalty. Even though Maupay's penalty was cheeky (but never liked his celebration and looked as if he was asking for it), De Gea's presence had something extra on this day. May be he has set high standards to himself and anything lesser was attracting criticism. Matic and Maguire combining, we pegged one back and level at half time.
The pundits spoke about Brighton being the much more deserving side, but not sure why. I felt ManUtd was much more dangerous than The Seagulls in attach, and the later was trying to create more chances and looking for mistakes in the defence with their high press. Brighton had more possession and few more shots at goal and more than a couple hitting the post. But ManUtd had one into the net which was ruled half side as well, which no pundit or the commentators seem to be conscious about. May be the pendulum swung Brighton's way in the first half but the second wasn't that way.
Second 45
A bright start for ManUtd, Rashford showed some glimpses of the what he could become and some scary stuff for defenders. But this was far and few which really does not make ManUtd the attacking force that we auth to be. Martial did not have much to write home about, few just did not stick to his feet and squandered them. Wan-Bissaka and Greenwood do have an understanding when attaching, which we missed in the previous game against the Eagles.
We had the lead and then we sat back so much that we allowed a heat breaking equaliser in the closing minutes. Not sure if the substitutions set the absorbing pressure kind of defending. But for me there was no sync between the attach minded midfield and the pressure absorbing defenders. The midfield was out of place when the Albioins were attaching except for the defending midfielder Matic and later on Fred who was running all over.
Lack of communication
Before we conceded the late equaliser, one thing that was constantly exploited was the cross that landed on the right side of United Goal. The Seagulls attach that started on United's left flank and the cross that landed on the right side invariably found an Albion. More than this being a good cross, I felt Wan-Bissaka's positioning was not the best. He seems to be missing the presence of the man behind him and sticking to the central defenders. The second goal that we conceded was a classic case of missing his man on the 2nd post and sticking with Bailly. Even though the free man was to be tracked by Fernandes, Wan-Bissaka should have had an eye on the second post, but seemed to be in no mans-land.
Last kick of the match
Maguire had a composed intent on were he wanted to direct the ball that he headed. Handball from Maupay was clearly intentional and not sure as to why the Albions had so much fuss. Fernandes was brave enough to take that penalty to get the much needed 3 points. The conclusion from most pundits and commentators was ManUtd was lucky, but for me, underperformed equaling the Seagulls performance, but stuck to the game until the last min.
Under performance was more a case of lack of concentration in defending and communication gap in the back line. Some positivity and game time is all that is needed and we got the same with three points
Comments
Post a Comment